JAYAPURA - In the midst of increasing community needs for easily accessible financial services, the existence of BRILink Agents is one solution to bring banking services closer to various regions, while also opening up business opportunities and employment for the surrounding community.
One of his success stories comes from Darwin Chandra, a local entrepreneur in Jayapura who managed to develop his simple kiosk into a reliable and close network of BRILink Agents with the community's transaction needs.
He recounted that more than a decade ago, he started his business from a small kiosk called Hari-Hari which was established on February 14, 2011 in the Abepura district, Jayapura City, Papua Province, Indonesia. At that time, the kiosk he managed only sold various basic necessities with a limited number and type of goods.
"At that time, the kiosk only sold daily necessities with a limited number of goods. The most important thing for me is how this business can continue to run and provide benefits for the surrounding community," said Darwin.
With a modest business capital, Darwin carried out his business gradually while building customer confidence in the surrounding environment. For him, maintaining good relations with customers is the main capital to develop the business. Over time, Darwin saw the tendency for community needs to continue to grow.
Customers who come to his kiosk no longer only need basic necessities, but also need access to financial services that are easily accessible without having to travel long distances to bank offices.
Finally, the opportunity came in 2017, when BRI offered cooperation to its kiosks to become BRILink Agents. Darwin saw this opportunity as a step to develop the business, while helping people get closer, faster, and easier access to banking services.
Without hesitation, he decided to join BRILink as an Agent and started serving various financial transactions, ranging from cash withdrawals, transfers, bill payments, to various other banking transaction needs.
The decision was a turning point in his business journey. Only within three months of becoming a BRILink Agent, Darwin managed to achieve the transaction target in the Reward Program organized by BRI and received an award in the form of a smartphone.
Similar achievements were achieved in the following period and further motivated him to continue to develop the business.
"The award is an encouragement for me. Moreover, many people need fast, close, and easy-to-reach transaction services. From there, I am more convinced to start expanding the service network," he said.
As a result, entering 2023, Darwin developed his business more aggressively. In the last two years, the business started from a simple kiosk has developed into five BRILink Agent service points spread across a number of locations, such as Abepura, Kotaraja and Waena.
However, Darwin did not stop at adding service points. He also presented an innovation in the form of two mobile service units using cars. According to him, the idea was inspired by the pick-up-ball service concept he had seen on Java Island.
"The idea of this mobile service is inspired by the pick-up ball concept that I saw on Java Island. I designed the car myself and I placed it around the Cenderawasih University area and several other strategic points so that students and the community can carry out various financial transactions more easily," he explained.
The presence of this mobile service has received a positive response from the public. Darwin's hard work and consistency in providing the best service has finally borne fruit. In a row in 2024 and 2025, he managed to win the umrah award from BRI after ranking seventh nationally and becoming the best BRILink Agent in Papua based on transaction target achievement.
This achievement was achieved again in 2025, marking the continued growth of the business and being increasingly trusted by the community.
"I am grateful for this achievement. But the most important thing is how our efforts can continue to provide benefits, help people transact easily, and open economic opportunities for the surrounding environment. Currently, we serve around 400 to 500 transactions every day, even some service points operate 24 hours," he said.
Behind the growth of its business. Darwin-managed BRILink Agents not only become a place for financial transactions, but also open up job opportunities for local residents. It is known that at this time, Darwin employs 15 employees spread across various service points. Interestingly, about 70% of the total workers are Papuan Indigenous People (OAP), as a form of commitment to also empower the local community.
On a separate occasion, Director of Micro BRI Akhmad Purwakajaya said that BRILink Agents not only serve as an extension of banking services, but are also able to drive economic growth for the community.
"Through the spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation, and closeness to the community, BRILink Agents also support the equalization of access to financial services while opening up business opportunities and employment in various regions," he said.
As is known, until March 2026, the number of BRILink Agents has reached 1.18 million and reached more than 80% of villages in Indonesia or around 66,450 villages. For BRI, this achievement confirms the position of BRILink Agents as the backbone of partnership-based financial services at the village level. In addition, the presence of BRILink can further expand people's access to banking transactions. (ADV)
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